None.
Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the automated packaging of transportable spools of wire, most typically heavier gauges of wire such as bale binding wire.
2. Related Art
Wire is typically packaged and transported in spools. More precisely, lengths of wire are wound in spirals which form a cylinder as the wire accumulates. A central, axial empty space is also cylindrical so that the finished volume of wound wire is toroidal in shape. This packaging shape is generally maintained by radial binding straps or wires which pass through the central axial space and wrap around a cross section of the volume of wire to be bound in a radial loop which will prevent the wire from unwinding.
When commercial volumes of heavy gauge wire are spooled, the weight of such volumes of wire become an issue in handling, packaging and transporting the spools. For example, typical volumes of bulk material baling wire are too heavy to be moved, stored or transported without the use of machinery such as fork trucks. These bound toroids of wire, conventionally referred to as xe2x80x9ccores,xe2x80x9d are difficult to handle by fork truck and may be damaged by fork truck handling, unless they are placed on a handling aide such as a pallet. Handling wire cores by pallet still necessitates placing the core on the pallet to begin with, and later removing it from the pallet for placement in a position for its ultimate use.
In other regards, there is a constant need in the industry for increasing the speed, automation, efficiency weight capacity of wire core binding, as for example, by incorporating electro servo motors into the binding process.
Apparatuses and methods for winding and binding wire into cores are known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,129,658 to Valente; U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,712 to Paletzki; U.S. Pat. No. 3,583,311 to Hill et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,761 to Hill. Various wire binders are known, See U.S. Pat. No. 3,548,739 to Glasson; U.S. Pat. No. 3,675,568 to Martelee; U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,510 to Glasson; U.S. Pat. No. 4,024,805 to Glasson; U.S. Pat. No. 3,678,845 to Francois; U.S. Pat. No. 3,842,728 to Elineau; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,720 to Elineau. Various core handling devices have also been developed. See, U.S. Pat. No. 3,633,492 to Gilvar; U.S. Pat. No. 3,788,210 to Lingemann; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,020,755 to Bohlmark. None of these systems, however, solve the problem of handling and transporting the heavy wire cores output by these and other prior art machines. Moreover, prior art devices are limited in their speed and efficiency.
The present invention is an apparatus and method of wire core binding that produces a wire core integrated with a collapsible carrying spool specifically designed to facilitate the handling and transportation of the wire cores output on the spools.
The apparatus of the present invention receives an unbound, loose, uncompressed spiral of wire wound onto one of the novel, collapsible carrying spools of the present invention. A conveyor belt extends into a binding station where it deposits the loose wire xe2x80x9ccorexe2x80x9d on its spool. Once in the binding station, the wire spiral is compressed by a compressor. While compression is still being applied, binding wire guide tracks close around the wire core to guide binding wire radially around the wire core. The guide tracks are aligned with gaps between compression plates. The binding wire is tightened, tied and released according to known techniques.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention there are four binding wire guide tracks. Two binding wire tying heads use electro servo motors to simultaneously guide, tighten and bind two radial binding wires through two of the guide tracks. Thereafter, the tying heads rotate 90xc2x0 where the other two guide tracks are used to guide, tighten and tie a third and a fourth binding wire around the wire core. The wire guide tracks are then removed from engagement with the wire core. Compression is released on the wire core, leaving it to remain compressed by the restraining binding wires. Finally, the bound, compressed wire core, still resting on its integrated collapsible carrying spool, is received by an extending exit conveyor by which it is removed from the binding station.
The present invention incorporates a novel spool for handling and transporting the wire core. The spool has horizontal base members and stand members whose vertical separation allows insertion of fork truck forks. Another novel aspect of the spool is that it has expandable and retractable contact members which work in cooperation with a central shaft having a handle. The cooperation of the contact members and shaft is such that the contact members expand to hold the wire core securely in place when the handle is lifted by an outside device such as a fork truck or an overhead hook. When lifting traction is released from the shaft, the contact members release their radial expansion contact with the wire core so that the core may be easily removed from the spool.
Further features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.